Method for making a garment hanger

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing plastic articles which consists of twisting a relatively flat strip of plastic so that it is helical in shape, winding the plastic in layers on a holder, sealing the layers together in a narrow longitudinal area while the twisted plastic remains on the holder, adding stiffening means to the plastic while it remains on the holder and passing a cutting element through the plastic in a direction longitudinally along the holder thereby permitting the cut unsealed layers of plastic to flare outwardly so that the stiffening element and heat sealed longitudinal portion constitutes an axis. The elongated articles produced are then folded double and given a twist to produce a clothes hanger when provided with a hook or a brush when provided with a handle.

United States Patent [1 1 Wesemann 1451 Apr. 17, 1973 [5 METHOD FOR MAKING A GARMENT 803,857 11/1905 Roseman, 15/206 H ER 2,306,809 12/1942 Jeung 15/229 AW 2,634,] 7 4 1953 Bi [75] Inventor: Fred A. Wesemann, Pompano 2,112,927 451938 3:2 Beach, Fla. 3,237,820 3/1966 Evans ..223/92 [73] Assignee: Consolidated Productions lncorporated Fort Lauderdale, Fla Primary Exammer George H. Knzrnamch Attorney-Schellin and Hoffman [22] Filed: June 2, 1970 211 Appl. 190.: 42,704 1 ABSTRACT A method for manufacturing plastic articles which 52 US. (:12 ..29/480, 29/505, 223/35 wnsists of twisting a relatively flat Strip of plastic 39 51 lm. c1. ..B23k 31/02 that it is helical in Shape, winding/the plastic in layers 58 Field of Search ..223/85, 92, 88; on a holder. Sealing the layers together in a narrow 5 20 207 229 w; 140 0 5; 300 7 longitudinal area while the twisted plastic remains on 18, 21; 15 74; 29 505 430 the holder, adding. stiffening means to the plastic while it remains on the holder and passing a cutting element 56 References Ci through the plastic in a direction longitudinally along the holder thereby permitting the cut unsealed layers UNITED STATES PATENTS of plastic to flare outwardly so that the stiffening ele- 422,117 2,1890 'ChriSmffeL ml5/206 X ment and heat sealed longitudinal portion constitutes 3,459,614 8/1969 Polly v v 156/174 an axis. The elongated articles produced are then 743 917 1904 Bram] 5 20 folded double and given a twist to produce a clothes {5/1830 Aikens 15/206 hanger when provided with a hook or a brush when 3,355,759 12/1967 Sloan ..l5/206 provided with a handle,

845,443 2/1907 Allardice.... 223/88 X 397,076 1/1889 Gladdin 15/207 1 Claim, 12 Drawing Figures mgmgnm 1 new I 3, 297

sum 1 8F 2 INVENTCR FRED A. WESEMANN BY jyzaw 4 M ATTORNEYS PAIENIEDA W 31727, 297

sum 2 or 2 INVENTOR FRED A. WESEMANN ATTORNEY METHOD FOR MAKING A GARMENT HANGER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an improvement and further utilization of the invention described and claimed in the U.S. patent of Uhel D. Polly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,614. In that patent, at least one relatively narrow strip of plastic film is given a twist and is then wound on an elongated, longitudinal workholder in a helical manner. Then a longitudinal stiffening or reinforcing element is positioned across the so wound workholder. Thereafter the workholder is given at least another helical layer of similar strip plastic whereby the stiffening or reinforcing element is securely embedded in the wound plastic.

At the conclusion of the winding of the plastic strip material, the plastic strips are heat sealed along two paths on both sides of the reinforcing or stiffening element. To insure good heat sealed qualities, the heat sealers employed puncture the plastic wound material at spaced selected intervals along said heat sealed paths.

The desired precursor product for the present invention is then produced by longitudinally slitting the wound plastic strips along a line displaced from the heat sealed paths.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In one embodiment of the present invention, a product is constructed in accordance with the principles of the Uhel D. Polly disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,614 employing a metal wire as the reinforcing element. After the slitting and removal of the wound plastic material containing the wire from the workholder, the product is bent to form a substantially annular element. The wire ends of the product are joined together by a suitable manner such as by welding, riveting and the like. The annular element thereby produced is compressed together to form a doubled up layer so that the two wires are in fairly close confrontation being separated primarily with only the distance of the wound plastic material.

The so compressed element is then twisted by suitable means as will be explained below. The doubled wires retain the twist. The resultant is a relatively highly convoluted longitudinal element.

For instance, in order to produce a hanger, a handle for the coat hanger has its straight end inserted between the compressed wires prior to twisting. After the twisting step, that end portion of the handle between the wires becomes securely positioned in the finally twisted product.

In another embodiment, the twisted product is bent again to form an eliptically shaped member. In this embodiment, the weld joining means may be substituted with twisting together of exposed bared wires. These twisted wires are further twisted with bared exposed wires at the section of the twisted product that is in juxtaposition when the eliptical configuration is achieved. The twisted wire portions are then inserted into a suitable well in the end of a longitudinal wood or plastic member whereby the resultant is a brush and the wood or plastic member constitutes a handle.

Of course, in still another embodiment, the eliptical configuration may not be necessary if one desires a longitudinal brush. In this embodiment, the bare twisted wire ends are inserted in a handle as before and retained therein by suitable means.

As was previously asserted by Uhel D. Polly with regard to U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,614, the wound heat sealed articles may be very colorful as they may be fabricated of vividly colored strips.

The resultant products of the present invention are clothes hangers and brushes of various types and different conventional and unusual brushes. As a matter of fact, the hanger so produced may do double duty as a clothes hanger and brush.

The brushes are particularly useful due to the material from which they are constructed, for instance, polyethylene film, the brush is readily cleaned. By using polyethylene, the brush has the ability to employ static electricity as a means for removing lint and the like.

By being constructed on a wire base the brush and the hanger of the present invention may be given useful and unusual con-figurations. In the clothes hanger embodiment, garments are given ample support as the hanger presents a wide supporting surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF Tl-IEDRAWINGS FIG. 1v is a side view of the product used in fabricating the article of the present invention with a portion of the plastic material broken away:

FIG. 2 is a view showing the bending and joining of the ends of the product of FIG. I with a hanger handle exploded therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the compressed article;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is aside view of the finally twisted article with a portion of the plastic removed;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a machine to carry out the twisting step;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 7- 7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of another embodiment of an article produced within the purview of the present invention; a

FIG. 9 is a side view of a machine to carry outthe twisting step for the other embodiment of FIG. 8, for instance;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view of another embodiment of an article produced within the purview of the present invention; and

FIG. 12 is an exploded fragmentary view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Attention is now directed to FIG. 1 which depicts an article produced in accordance with teachings of Uhel D. Polly in U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,614. In that patent, Polly employs an elongated longitudinal workholder which has a rectangular cross-sectional configuration in the embodiment giving rise to the articledepicted in FIG. 1. The workholder in the Polly device has two elongated spaced parallel grooves along one surface and at the opposite most displaced surface has a single elongated longitudinal groove.

The workholder according to Polly is supported at its ends in a lathe-like device. At least one slightly twisted plastic polyethylene film strip is helically wound in a partial overlapping manner on the workholder from one end to another. When more than one film strip is employed at the same time, the strips are arranged so that they are partially overlapped. After completing at least one pass over the workholder during the winding operation, the winding operation is temporarily halted. An elongated wire of approximately the same length as the workholder is placed on the workholder on that portion between the two parallel grooves. The plastic film strip winding operation is resumed. It will be appreciated that the wire is covered by the plastic film. At the conclusion of one or more complete passes, the winding operation is considered to be finished.

Thereafter, a heat sealing device having a spaced parallel comb-like configuration is used to heat seal and puncture the wound material on each side of the embedded wire. Then a slit is cut longitudinally along the groove at the opposite side of the workholder from the heat sealed side. The slit is cut all the way through the wound plastic to release the wound plastic from the workholder. The finished article is represented by FIG. 1 where reference numeral 11 refers to the article. As can be seen, article 11 has a portion of the plastic material 12 removed to reveal the embedded wire 13.

FIG.-2 depicts a first embodiment of utilization of the article 11 of FIG. 1. Article 11 is bent ina manner to bring the end 14 and portions together. Prior to this step, the ends of the wire 13 should be bared. The so produced annular article is then compressed together. FIG. 2 shows the article in partial compression. The ends 14 and 15 are secured together as by welding or the like. The securing may be accomplished prior to the compression step, intermediate thereof or at the end thereof. From FIG. 2 it will be seen that a weld 16 has been indicated as having been accomplished prior to complete bringing together of the wires having the plastic material.

In order to make the clothes hanger, a hook is sandwiched between the wires. The hook 17 in FIG. 2 has a straight portion having an annular recess 18 near the end thereof. The wires now in relative parallel abutment after compression fit into the recess 11 of the hook. FIG. 3 illustrates the hook 17 in position after compression. FIG. 4, being an enlarged cross-sectional view clearly depicts the wires 13 in the recess 18 of the hook 17.

The next step in the fabrication of the clothes hanger is to twist the elongated portion at least through an angle of 360. The longer the article being twisted the greater degree of twist necessary to give a desirable product. Also, the amount of plastic film strips will control the number of degrees for the twist. An article given too many turns in the twist will force the wires too close together thereby tending to tear the plastic film off the wires. An example of a twisted article of the present invention can be seen from FIG. 5. The helical convolutions 19 can be seen along the longitudinal hanger while the wires 13 can be seen from that part from which the wound plastic film strips have been removed.

In order to accomplish the winding step to give the article as depicted by FIG. 5, a machine has been invented to rapidly and efficiently carry out the winding technique. Therefore, attention is now directed to FIGS. 6 and 7. These figures illustrate a machine, shown generally by reference numeral 21, for the purpose intended.

The machine has a movable stock 22 mounted on a base which has a track 23. The stock is positioned at a preselected position by means of a thumb screw means 24. At the other end of the machine is an electric motor 25 which has an extended axle with a hook 26 screwed forwardly thereon. In opposite facing relationship on the stock 22 is another hook 27 which is spring loaded normally in a direction away from the motor 25 by helical spring 28 in the stock 22. The degree of tension may be controlled by abutment thumb nut 29 which is threaded onto the elongated threaded shank 30 of hook 27. The other end of helical spring 28 is in abutment in centrally positioned well 34 of the stock 22. As shown in FIG. 6, by means of dotted lines, the compressed article is hooked by means of the looped end portions of the wires to the hooks 26 and 27 When the electric motor 25 is turned on, the hook 26 is rotated and therewith the article. However, as hook 27 is prevented from rotating a twist will be given to the article which remains. As the article is rotated, the elongated dimension is reduced thus tugging on hook 27 against the spring 28. The stock 22 has an upwardly facing well 31 through which one portion of a fixed arm 32 protrudes. The other portion of the fixed arm is secured to the shank of hook 27 Intermediate the hook 27 and fixed arm 32 is a small electric switch 33 which is positioned to be operated by the fixed arm when it moves in a direction towards the electric motor 25. The electric switch is normally in an on position and is in the electric supply circuit for the electric motor 25. As the article is shortened due to the twist imparted, the hook will be moved in a direction towards the electric motor and at the same time will carry the fixed arm 32 to operate electric switch 33 to interrupt the electricity supplied to the electric motor 25. It will be seen that the just described set-up provides a very convenient manner by which to give all the to-be-twisted articles the same degree of twist as the amount of shortening imparted is a function of the twist given to the articles when all the articles in the beginning are of the same length.

As has been previously stated, in the production of articles of a different embodiment, it is not necessary to weld the ends 14 and 15, but rather the product of the type shown by FIG. 1 may be merely folded bringing the ends of the wires together and giving them just a sufficient twist to hold them together. In such an instance, there is no second loop for the machine of FIG. 6, as only one loop is provided. The machine of FIG. 9 is then utilized. However, instead of a second hook on the stock 22, a clamp 35 is secured to a rod 36 which takes the place of the hook 27 in the embodiment of FIG. 6. From FIG. 10 the manner of operation of the clamp 35 can be seen as it acts as a vise in holding the folded compressed product by retention of the twisted ends.l4A and 15A of the wires. The looped end, as seen by dotted lines in FIG. 9, is secured to the hook 26 as before. The resultant twisted article is shown by reference numeral 37 in FIG. 8. By contrasting the colors which go to make up the plastic film strips a contrasted item is produced as is seen from FIG. 8. From this FIG. 8, it can be seen that by inserting the twisted ends 14A and 15A into a well of a handle 38 a brush may be made, having a utility as a bottle brush.

In yet another embodiment the article 37 may be folded upon itself again to form an elipse as seen from FIG. 11. By exposing the wires of that portion brought into abutment to ends 14A and 15A a looped brush may be constructed when the thusly exposed wires and ends 14A and 15A are inserted into a handle 38 adapted therefor. A better view of this can be gleaned from FIG. 12.

The plastic strip material used in the present invention may be of any self-sustaining film forming material having the ability to be heat sealable. The wires used may be of aluminum, stainless steel, copper or any strong enough wire which will retain a degree of twist. The wire gauge may vary considerably but should be of a size and strength to serve its intended function and purpose. Of course, as has been stated, the plastic film material may be of a variety of colors and may 'even have incorporated therein a material having desirable odor producing materials. The thickness of the film may vary as desired so that it may be of 0.5 mil to 10 .mil in thickness. Additionally, the plastic film strips may be different in width; as an example range, may

vary from one-half inch thickness to three inches in thickness. The various parameters desired can be achieved by selecting the thickness of the film strips,

the type of plastic used and the width of the strips themselves.

While there have been shown and described particular embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention, and, therefore, it is aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a hanger comprising helically winding at least one overlapping layer of twisted flexible thermo-plastic strip on a holder, positioning an elongated wire stiffening element longi-tudinally on the helically wound thermoplastic strip, helically winding thereon additional overlapping twisted thermoplastic strip to at least cover the stiffening element, radially heat sealing together the helically wound thermoplastic layers about the length of the stiffening element, longitudinally slitting the layers of helically wound thermoplastic strip along a line displaced from the heat sealed area to free the helical wound strip from the holder and to permit the cut unsealed flexible thermoplastic to flare outwardly from the stiffening element, folding the thereby produced article to bring together the free ends of the stiffening element, about midway along the folded article, positioning within the fold of the stiffening member a recess in the shank of a hook, and twisting the folded article about itself through at least 360 throughout the length thereof to retain the hook within the twist of the stiffening member, thereby forming a hanger. 

1. A method of making a hanger comprising helically winding at least one overlapping layer of twisted flexible thermo-plastic strip on a holder, positioning an elongated wire stiffening element longi-tudinally on the helically wound thermoplastic strip, helically winding thereon additional overlapping twisted thermoplastic strip to at least cover the stiffening element, radially heat sealing together the helically wound thermoplastic layers about the length of the stiffening element, longitudinally slitting the layers of helically wound thermoplastic strip along a line displaced from the heat sealed area to free the helical wound strip from the holder and to permit the cut unsealed flexible thermo-plastic to flare outwardly from the stiffening element, folding the thereby produced article to bring together the free ends of the stiffening element, about midway along the folded article, positioning within the fold of the stiffening member a recess in the shank of a hook, and twisting the folded article about itself through at least 360* throughout the length thereof to retain the hook within the twist of the stiffening member, thereby forming a hanger. 